Backtracking from Jesus to Psalm 118 and back again

Koot van Wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

Conjoint Lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

21 December 2010

God gave us His Word to analyze in order to bring together the dispersed and hidden treasures, put them together and then to see the mosaic of truth that will encourage and strengthen our faith. It does.

In Luke 20:17 Jesus cited from Psalm 118:22a and 22b. He said that "the Stone that the builders rejected, it became unto the chief of the corner".

Most scholars will interpret it as a reference to His success on the cross of Calvary in 31 CE. It certainly included that but it appears from some more study, that more is meant by this verse.

The citation is from the Old Testament and from a Psalm. Psalm 118:22a and 22b contains this part of the verse. What is interesting from a careful analysis of Psalm 118, is that in this particular part, we have a chiasm.

Formally the chiasm can be seen as we have indicated in our diagram below with yellow and peach colors. The demonstrative pronoun this = zeh in verses 20a corresponds with verse 24a. Furthermore, the preposition in it = bo of verse 20b corresponds with 24b. The result is that the verse Jesus was citing, is in the center of this chiasm.

What it means is that the verse was meant to be a reference to the coming Messiah and Jesus cited it since it is a reference to Him and His work. The verse is in two parts, verse 22a and verse 22b. In verse 22a Jesus refers to one event, namely His rejection between 27-31CE but in verses 22b Jesus referred to His Second Coming when He will be the Chief or King Stone of Daniel 2:44 that will fill the whole earth, as Habbakkuk 3 described so vividly on the day of the Lord. That is why 24a asks us to rejoice and be glad in the day of the Lord that He has made. Amos knew the Day of the Lord theology very well and he described it also well in Amos. Let us summarize: Psalm 118:22a deals with a messianic prediction of the rejection of Jesus during His first coming and Psalm 118:22b deals with His Second Advent and thus with eschatology since Jesus would lay down His High Priestly robe and receive the crown of glory and in that glory come on the Day of the Lord back to earth to come and save the rejoicing ones who are glad on that Day that the Lord has made.